Orlando Pirates players step up as Bafana Bafana prepares for friendlies

WITH Mamelodi Sundowns players not being included in the current Bafana Bafana setup ahead of two friendlies against Tanzania and Mozambique, it is not a secret that a lot of the weight to lead the side will be carried by Orlando Pirates’ stars. 

Bafana play Tanzania at Peter mokaba Stadium on Friday night, 7.30pm kick-off before taking on Mozambique at Loftus on Tuesday.

The positive news coming from Polokwane, where the national team  set-up camp, is that they - Pirates players themselves, seem to understand the duty upon their shoulders quite well.

Bafana coach Hugo Broos himself made it all clear on Monday when he named Pirates defender and one of the Betway Premiership side’s leaders, Nkosinathi Sibisi, as his stand-in skipper in the absence of Sundowns goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams.

Leading the defence for Bafana alongside Sibisi is expected to be the likes of Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Deano van Rooyen, who both played crucial roles getting Pirates to the semi-finals of the Caf Champions League.

“It’s an honour to be selected for the Bafana Bafana squad. For me, I have been working hard to get this opportunity. You have to keep working hard, you’ll never know when the opportunity will come. Now for us the focus is to get a chance in the two games and give my best,” said Van Rooyen. 

“We had a good season at Orlando Pirates and a lot of our players gained a lot of experience of playing in the Caf Champions League. For us now it is a chance to help the country achieve good results in the next two games.”

Van Rooyen and Sibisi are indeed among the experienced members of the squad.

“Yes we have a younger squad but as the coach has said, there is no pressure on us. So we must just go out there and perform and be ourselves,” said van Rooyen.

Commenting on Sibisi’s leadership, Van Rooyen said of the man who has captained him many times in the colours of the Buccaneers:

“He is someone who does not speak a lot but his work on the field speaks for itself. I think he is that kind of a leader. His experience on the field, I think will be good for us.”

What should make the Pirates players' leadership duty easy, is the fact that other squad members themselves seem to be in unison.

One such squad member is AmaZulu forward Tshepang Moremi, who believes everyone will have to seize the moment regardless of age or even seniority.

“Whether you are young or you are old, the important thing for us to understand is that it is our time,” said Moremi.

“This is my first callup and it was my first time meeting with the coach (Broos) yesterday (on Sunday). He told me that I have been working hard and so I deserve to be in this team and I must keep on working hard. 

“He told me that whenever I play I must do my best because you never know who is watching. Moremi

“I am looking forward to keeping on improving and working hard. My main goal is to play in the Afcon and Fifa World Cup. 

“It is very important to me to keep working hard and contribute to the team, either by scoring and assisting. Even in the upcoming two games, when I get a chance, I will try to either score or assist.”